This invention relates generally to sight pins for archery bows, and more particularly to a sight pin having an optical fiber disposed therein that provides an aiming indicia.
Sight pins are commonly used in archery bows, either singly or in multiple units, to provide aiming indicia for an archer. Typically, the pins are vertically adjustable so that the archer can control the vertical position of the aiming indicia as a function of target distance. More recently, light-gathering fluorescent fibers having spaced apart ends at which light gathered along exposed longitudinal surfaces of the fiber is emitted at the ends of the fiber to provide a bright dot, have been mounted in archery pins. The small dots are readily observable when the axis of the end portion of the fiber is aligned with the user""s eye.
In previous attempts to mount light-gathering flourescent fibers in an archery pin, one end of the fiber has been mounted in a hole provided in the distal end of the pin and a second end of the fiber has been inserted through a base portion of the pin or received within a groove or ring provided on the base portion of the pin. In these arrangements, the second end of the optical fiber is also exposed. Such arrangements are not only distracting, with two aiming indicias mounted on the same pin being visible, but can actually lead to confusion and distraction, which result in decreased concentration on the correct exposed optical fiber end.
Therefore, it is desirable to have an archery pin for a bow in which only one end of an optical fiber is viewable by the archer. It is also desirable to have such a pin in which the light gathering optical fiber emits light that provides a bright aiming indicia even under low light conditions.
The present invention is drawn to a sight pin assembly having an optical fiber wherein only one end of the optical fiber is viewable by the archer, and can optionally incorporate a light emitting member to provide a bright aiming indicia under low light conditions. The sight pin assembly includes an elongate pin having a first end and a second end. An elongate light-gathering optical fiber has a first end supported at the first end of the elongate pin such that it is visible when viewing a front of the elongate pin. The second end of the light-gathering optical fiber is supported at a second end of the elongate pin and obscured from view when viewing the front of the elongate pin.
The light-gathering optical fiber is received in the second end of the elongate pin. The elongate pin has a cavity in the second end and the second end of the light-gathering optical fiber is received within the cavity. The cavity contains a light emitting member disposed adjacent the second end of the light-gathering optical fiber. The light emitting member may be tritium. At least a portion of the cavity is threaded for attachment to a pin holder of an archery bow sight. The light-gathering fiber enters the second end of the elongate pin at an obtuse angle to an axis of the elongate pin as measured between the second end of the elongate pin and the light-gathering optical fiber. Alternately, the light-gathering optical fiber enters the second end of the elongate pin at a right angle to an axis of the elongate pin. This can be concentric about an elongate cavity which is perpendicular to the axis of the elongate pin. A support fin can extend outwardly from the elongate pin which bridges a space between the light-gathering optical fiber and the elongate pin. The second end of the elongate pin may have a rectangular cross-section.